Sorrow and indignation over murder of Nigerian priest

Since 2021, at least one pastoral agent has been murdered every year in the Diocese of Kafanchan. The bishop of the Diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna State, Nigeria, has expressed his “deep sorrow and righteous indignation” over the abduction and subsequent murder of one of his priests. Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu was abducted from his residence …

Priest kidnapped and murdered in Nigeria

A total of five priests and two religious sisters have been kidnapped in Nigeria this year alone. Besides Fr. Sylvester Okechukwu, who was murdered, two remain missing, while the other four were released. (Cover photo: A destroyed crucifix in Burkina Faso, a country where the security situation for Christians is challenging too.) A Catholic priest …

West Bank: “Honestly? The ceasefire has made the situation even worse”

Gaza is currently experiencing a fragile peace, but a visiting delegation from Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) found that the situation in the West Bank has not improved for Christians, who must struggle to find reasons to hope in the future. It takes around 20 minutes to drive from Ein ‘Arik to Ben …

Pope Francis: A Call That Brings Comfort!

We are sharing with you a video received from the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem (LPJ). The parish priest of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza, Fr. Gabriel Romanelli, even he is very sick! Photo: Candles and drawings at the foot of the statue of John Paul II at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where Pope …

Central African Republic – “Little by little, hope is being reborn.”

Although the country now enjoys a fragile peace, there is still insecurity, leading the bishops in Central African Republic to appeal to the international community not to forget the African nation. The Church, they say, will continue to fulfill its prophetic role. A unique spirit of dialogue and cooperation between Christian and Muslim leaders set …

DR Congo: Local ACN sources confirm massacre with 70 bodies found in North Kivu church

Over 70 bodies were found in a Protestant church in a village near Lubero, North Kivu, according to local sources contacted by the international Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN). The killings took place between February 12 and 15, in a village called Maiba, near Lubero. On February 12, rebels from an …

Zimbabwe – Religious sisters the “foot soldiers of Christ”

Bishop Raymond Mupandasekwa told Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) that the Church has been slow to recognize the contribution of sisters to the Church’s work, but that fortunately in Zimbabwe this is beginning to change. The bishop of Masvingo in Zimbabwe says that the Church in his country, and in general, owes a …

Supporting Catholic radio stations in war zones

To commemorate World Radio Day on February 13, Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) is highlighting its ongoing support for Catholic radio, an essential tool for both spreading information and evangelizing throughout the world. In 2024, the charity committed over $770,000 to 22 radio projects in 19 countries. Hundreds of Catholic radio stations are …

Burkina Faso: Two catechists brutally killed in a road attack

The Christian community in Burkina Faso is in mourning following the murder of two catechists in a violent attack on Saturday, January 25, in the Diocese of Dédougou. The victims belonged to the parish of Ouakara and were attacked close to Bondokuy by two armed men while returning from a training session on the life …

DR Congo: Missionary describes chaos in Goma, with “many dead and refugee camps under attack”

Two weeks after the M23 armed group attacked the city of Goma, there is still fighting in the province of North Kivu, in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, leading to a worsening of the humanitarian conditions in the region. A missionary in the country tells Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) …